Valecia Dawnweaver
Overview Valecia Dawnweaver is a soldier and lower noble currently serving in the 501st of Silvermoon's vast array of military regiments. The Dawnfury Concordant, as it is called, is commanded by one Alorinis Bloodarrow, and Valecia serves as a Commander and leader of the regiments Diplomacy Department. She is married to Tylorill Dawnweaver, who is now retired and tends the duties of Baron rather than the espionage and covert tasks he performed in the military. Through Tylorill's lineage and subsequent reclamation of a barony, she has also been granted the courtesy title of Lady, though she rarely refer's to herself as such, preferring the military title that she earned rather than the noble title that she married into. Two weeks before Winterveil, Valecia birthed her first child, a son; Darius Raetharion Malachi Dawnweaver. Early Family History, Birth, and Childhood Valecia's child hood was a fairly normal one for a girl of the commons. Her father, Raetherion Dawnstrike, was a well-to-do merchant. He started out as a miner, quickly learning and understanding the business of mining, which ores were coveted by certain groups, and where to find the best and most plentiful of gems. On his own time, he would scour the globe, exploring new lands he'd never traveled to, and the ores they provided. He would mine them, sell them, and save the money, and when he had enough gold in the bank, Raetherion started his own mining company. In time, through hard work, plenty of harrowing travel, and his own slick business tongue, he was able to garner a reputation of great deals for his customers, both single and whole sale. This led to him being a leader in supplying ore to the various merchants and even small, private regiments, within Quel'thalas. When Valecia was born, her parents had already produced one son; Banalis. A series of miscarriages and still-borne had followed until 15 years later. Linesta Dawnstrike had been in labor a mere five hours before her daughter arrived. Valecia entered the world as quietly as she would live her life; there was no screaming or crying, and the woman felt sure she had delivered yet another dead child, so she was surprised when the mid wife handed her the babe. The girl was slightly small in size, but she was alive. Raetherion, of course, had been hoping for another son; an heir and a spare as they say, but he too, was just as happy to have another child that was healthy and breathing. When Banalis had been growing up, he was still watching his Father work at having an extraordinary life. Valecia's birth came at a time when Raetherion was already well established as a leader among ore supplying, and their life style reflected that accomplishment. While they held no titles and little land, if any, to speak of, the Dawnstrikes lived well. Banalis and Valecia were both accepted to fine academies, and Linesta, who had a few connections through her family at a leading magister school in Quel'thalas was making plans to have her daughter enlist and train there, just as she had when she was younger. There was only one problem. Valecia showed absolutely no compunction or talent with the arcane what-so-ever. In fact, the only magic that she did seem to find any talent for was the Light, just as her brother had. There were other abilities that Valecia had as well; for example, she had a skill with the sword, a skill that her parents did their best to curb, but eventually allowed Banalis to assist in developing, much to his disappointment. In her studies, while Valecia excelled at history, the arts, writing, and the like, she also did well in her physical education. Many of the other girls detested running, jumping, and anything that could muss their hair or break their nails; Valecia reveled in it. Whenever she had the opportunity to sign up for a work shop or a seminar on foot work or wielding various weapons, she took it. She was often teased and ridiculed by the boys, and most of the time, she was beaten by them as well. However, the fact that she had the ability and desire to process the training quickly and put it into action against an opponent, invariably holding her own in a duel, was plain by anyone to see. In time, it became clear to everyone that Valecia had no intentions of entering the priesthood as many women did in her station. Marriage was also a non-starter with her, even though Raetherion, of course, was 'shopping' for her. Linesta, and more so Banalis, were both stalwartly against Valecia entering the military, either in Quel'thalas, or that of the Grand Alliance. For Linesta, she simply didn't want to see her only daughter engage in combat the way a man would. She wanted Valecia to finish her schooling, marry, and have children of her own. Banalis's thinking on the matter was very traditional. In his opinion, it wasn't Valecia's place to put herself on the front lines along side a man. Her place was in the home, breeding and nurturing the next generation. His traditional values and Valecia's own wants would place the siblings in argument after argument from then on. Valecia's father understood where his daughter was coming from. He himself had come so far in his life, from a simple mine worker to now owning the very mine he had started off in. If she had the drive and the skill, why should her sex stop her? As head of the family, it was his decision as to the direction Valecia's future would go. Siding with his daughter, he allowed her to enlist at a training academy, one that fed directly into the higher-training grounds of Lordaeron. Military Career Valecia first served Quel'thalas along side the Grand Alliance when she, and her people, where still considered High Elves. The bulk of her formative years and training took place within Quel'thalas and the northern lands of the Eastern Kingdoms. Lordaeron, in its hey day, was a beautiful sight. The tall buildings and intricate architecture, along with spacious and green lands, served to put Valecia at ease when she found herself home sick for her family. She put her gifts of the Light to good use, serving and believing the Light and eventually earning the right to be called a paladin. When the ties between human and elf were severed, Valecia returned to Quel'thalas, a chip on her shoulder, vengeance on her mind, and the desire to ensure that her home would never need the help of others again. Under Lady Liadrin's creation of the Blood Knights, Valecia shed any belief that she'd once had in the Light. After all, what was the purpose in worshiping something that had allowed the tragedies to amass against her people? Valecia came to see the Light as nothing but a tool to be exercised and wielded by those who were strong enough to do so. She happily spurned the golds and blues and donned the blacks and reds of the new order. After a time, when Silvermoon was rebuilt and the population began to return to the city, private regiments began to spring up. With the Blood Knights ranks at a comfortable level, she found that many former Knights were leaving and creating their own armies in an attempt to recreate Quel'thalas; more independent, stronger, mightier than it had ever been. Wanting to take the fight to Arthas in the North, Valecia ended her commission with the Blood Knights voluntarily and joined with one of those regiments. She was deployed to Northrend for nine months before her regiment returned home, victims of an attack by over zealous and racist Alliance who managed to kill and/or torture several of her unit before another regiment was able to come to the rescue. Valecia returned to Silvermoon a month shy of the Lich King being defeated. It would be a few months before she would be fit to apply to another private regiment. When she did, it was to a group calling themselves the Dominion of the Sun. A group of soldiers within the regiment calling themselves the Ashborn had caught her eye. She was accepted with little matter and stayed within the regiment for six months before voluntarily discharged herself, following a trusted friend and confidant, Alorinis Bloodarrow, to the 501st, which was renamed The Dawnfury Concordant. Since joining the Concordant, Valecia has attained the rank of Marshal and seems to be finding her niche within the military. Where as through most of her life she never saw herself as one who aspired for officer ship or command, having been given the opportunity and placed in command of the Enforcer Unit along side Adionus Sunbreaker, she is beginning to see a possible new future for herself in her career. Personality They say that a person is made of many layers, and that saying definitely holds true for Valecia. She is truly a person that one needs to get to know in order to see the soft, sensitive and vulnerable side within. On her outer shell, to her fellow soldiers, people that don't know her well, complete strangers, and even to those with whom she speaks on a regular basis, Val can seem dry, sarcastic, harsh, aloof. It is completely within someone's feeling to think that she is an uptight bitch with a huge chip on her shoulder. She doesn't make an effort to really get to know anyone. She is not the kind of person to walk up to a complete stranger, introduce herself, and by the end of the conversation, declare her friendship with that person. Very private and distrusting, Valecia is more comfortable alone than she is around others. That does not mean to say however, that she is happier. Once one begins to peel away the layers, a very different person than portrayed is found. Valecia's true nature is that of someone who is loyal, who cares about the people around her, who doesn't want to disappoint those who are important to her in her life, and who promotes the interests of the Sin'dorei proudly, without shame. Like everyone in the Blood Elf community, Valecia's life was completely ruined when the Scourge marched across Quel'thalas, and like everyone, she dealt with that crisis in her own way...which was by not dealing with it at all. She closed herself off, became cold and distant, almost like a robot. As a result, she has somewhat 'forgotten' how to deal with people, how to approach them, how to socialize with them. To make your way into Valecia's heart is to completely be aware of all the insecurities and vulnerabilities that plague her. What she shows on the outside as a certain, proud, fiery woman is tempered on the inside by an innate introvert, a fiercely loyal soldier and friend, a woman who constantly questions her ability in every way, as well as her worth, and above all, someone who wants to open up and have the basic contact that everyone around her seems to enjoy. Strengths and Weaknesses While Valecia herself may argue the point, this woman has many strengths and advantages be they physically or mentally. Her physical strength for starters has always been a boon. From the first time she was allowed to hold a sword in her hands she has been training, raising her endurance and power levels through rigorous exercise and various military camps. She is small, yet broad shouldered, quick on her feet, and able to move with the grace of a dancer when she is fighting (now if only she could do the same when she actually dances!). Valecia finds calm and strength in solitude. She doesn't need to, nor does she enjoy, being around large groups of people. She finds it distracting, un-nerving, and she never quite knows what to do or what to say. Her determination to leave her emotion at the door in times of military campaigns or crisis, her utter respect for the chain of command, and the loyalty she has to those with whom she serves is the stuff of any soldier. Another great source of strength for Valecia, as it would be for any wife, would be her husband. When she first met Tylorill, Valecia questioned her worth and ability in anything and everything. It was his guidence and belief in her, as well as his stubbornness that she was every damn bit as good as any other soldier in the military, that gave her the courage to continue on the path that she was heading for; a command position within the Concordant. Without his unyielding affection for her, it is up in the air as to whether Valecia would have what little confidence she has in herself today. Like everyone however, the young woman also has her drawbacks, ones that could very well incapcitate her if they were ever exploited by someone who wished her harm. Unfortunately for Valecia, she has never quite been able to accept the cold. Snow, ice, harsh and biting arctic winds leave her bones, joints, and muscles frozen and stiff, slowing her movement and often times causing her to feel as though she's freezing. Always a fan of the warmth and the sun on her face, this makes her especially vulnerable to those who are trained in the frost magics. By no means can she be merely pushed over, but she is at an adequate disadvantage to them due to her inability handle cold, and her need to infuse herself with the Light to keep her body warm and fluid, which expends energy she could be using to directly fight a foe. Years ago, when Valecia and her former regiment were captured in Northrend, she was forced to sit for days, chained to a wall, and listen to her comrades being tortured, and eventually killed. Very few of the regiment made it out without serious injury and even fewer made it out alive. While Valecia managed to get through the ordeal with nothing but a serious burn injury on her shoulder and a few beatings, the one thing that has always stayed with her is the sound of a whip cracking. To this day, she can not hear the crack of a whip without thinking back to that time, associating the sound with the memory of the torture she heard her fellow soldiers endure, and that she too experienced. Depending on the closeness of the sound, the repetitiveness of it, and who is creating the noise is directly related to how she may respond. She associates the crack with her time in Northrend, and it isn't a place or time she goes out of her way to think about; in fact, she goes out of her way to do everything she can to erase it from her mind. Loss would be the final weakness. She's never accepted the deaths of her parents or of friends exceptionally well, choosing instead to hold onto them rather than let them go to rest and simply do as others do and remember them with a happy heart. Regarding her parents, there will never be a time, no matter how often anyone tells her, no matter how many times her parents stress to her in her dreams or through the troll shaman that allows their spirits to speak to her, that she will not in some way blame herself for their deaths. Of course there was and is nothing Valecia could have done to save her parents - they, along with 90% of her people, died when the Scourge roared through Quel'Thalas. She'd have simply perished with them. Survivor's guilt is a tricky thing. At least for the foreseeable future, she will ask herself 'why not me too'? Family Father - Raetherion Dawnstrike; deceased. Mother - Linesta Dawnstrike; deceased. Brother* - Banalis Dawnstrike; alive. Husband - Tylorill Dawnweaver Children - Son - Darius Raetharion Malachi Dawnweaver, born Dec. 2nd. Cousin by Marriage* - Taeryk Dawnweaver; alive. Banalis Dawnstrike - Banalis Dawnstrike is the older brother and only sibling of Valecia Dawnweaver. Originally very close, Banalis and Valecia are now estranged once the former disowned his sister for various reasons, the main one being that he did not approve of Valecia's marriage to Tylorill. As a result, Valecia has a large amount of guilt weighing her down regarding her relationship, or lack there of, with her brother, as well as a good deal of anger for him abandoning her. Taeryk Dawnweaver - A complete surprise to both Valecia and Tylorill, Taeryk is one of the last remaining survivors of the Dawnweaver family. Originally introduced to Valecia first through his joining the regiment, Tylorill's wife was excited to show her husband that he still had blood relatives left. The three have now bonded somewhat, with Taeryk having a room at the Dawnweaver Estate, and the feeling of having an actual family and relatives becoming imbedded within Valecia, and she hopes within Tylorill as well. Relationships Alorinis Bloodarrow - A confidant, a protector, a friend that she never expected, and the brother that Tylorill believes she should have had. Alorinis has been the push behind Valecia's walk since the day he met her. He has been a constant in her life, someone that has guided her patiently and been the shoulder to lean on when she felt she had no one. Alorinis was, and still to this day, is the one person besides Tylorill that Valecia knows she can count on for anything at anytime. Though the man has been a Farstrider since it's inception and Valecia a Blood Knight, her friendship with Alorinis and her marriage to Tylorill, another Farstrider, has softened her once haughty and snobbish opinion of the Ranger Corp. Alorinis is someone she trusts with her life, and has done so in the past. Her loyalty to his command of the Regiment is absolute, superceeded only by her loyalty to Silvermoon and Quel'thalas. Eleneill Sunsword - Alorinis's mate and a friend of Valecia's since their days in the Dominion (now called The Fireborn). Since Eleneill's departure from her rank as Commander to Champion and her new contract with the Court as a bounty hunter of sorts, Valecia rarely sees the woman, but neither time nor distance has diminished her like, respect, or fear of the feral elf. Within the regiment, Valecia may be in all technicality Eleneill's superior, but Val still finds herself treading carefully with Elen which is likely to drive the latter up the wall much more than just out right being forward and to the point. Adrya Blackdawn '- A surprising yet filling relationship. Adrya Blackdawn was never someone Valecia ever considered being able to be friendly with. She was qutie content to ensure that she never angered the woman or had any reason to be on the recieving end of her disciplinary skills. However, during her pregnancy, Valecia found herself turning very much to Adrya, and in a way, thought of her as a mother figure, one which Valecia sorely needed as her own mother had passed away during the Scourging of Quel'Thalas. Adrya Blackdawn was no stranger to pregnancy, at the time having five children of her own and pregnant with her sixth. Their friendship is a quiet one, undoubtedly with Adrya as the older, wiser, stronger, more confident of the two. With the changes that Valecia knows are being made to House Blackdawn, she is much easier around Adrya now and doesn't hold so much judgement against her. '''Sophysa Dar'thiel '- Valecia has an abiding respect for Sophysa. She, Adrya, and Sophy were all pregnant with their children around the same time and gave birth within a month to six weeks of one another, and during that time, Valecia got to know Sophy much better. Now, they have a small friendship, often having quiet conversation over their children much of the time when they see each other. '''Camliri Starfallen - Meeting first in the Dominion and then continuing their friendship in the Concordant, Camliri is one of the very few females Valecia can call a friend. While Cam, as she is often called by those close to her, is nearly the polar opposite of Valecia when it comes to things such as wearing cosmetics, constant hair styling, meticulous attention to wardrobe, and the like, the nationalistic pride both women feel is enough to tie them together in the bonds of friendship. Valecia has even gone so far as to introduce her to Taeryk, thinking that the two would make a fine couple. The two women get along swimmingly, and can often behind found talking in the Royal Exchange quietly or sitting near the creek behind Valecia's home. Cero Morningstar - Cero is a very young man that Valecia came upon in the city one day. He was dirty, had little clothing, and looked for all the world like a lost puppy that had been kicked over and over again. To this day, Valecia has no idea why she took pity on him or why she invited him into her home. Invite him she did, though, offering him the position of grounds keeper after seeing the love he had for the outdoors and the care he took to not disturb the nature about him. It soon became clear that Valecia would need to 'train' Cero on propriety. After all, the boy ran around nearly stark naked, prefering his 'natural' state to any clothing provided to him, not to mention he acted more like an animal than a man. Eventually, Valecia convinced him to wear pants. She's still working on a shirt. Vynlarion Highcrest - The relationship between Valecia and Vynlarion High crest is now defined as outright hostile. Disgusted by certain actions of his and his lack of loyalty to the regiment that he had command in, Valecia can no longer stand the sight or the sound of the aged noble. If there was one person that Valecia could say that she hated, it would be Vynlarion. She has gone so far as to ally herself with House Blackdawn and House Starfallen to prevent his coming to Durotar during the Siege of Orgrimmar to be a liason between the regiment and the Court. Their efforts failed, and though he has no control over anyone in the regiment, she is continually needled and poked by him for his own amusement. While she would love nothing more than to retaliate in a physical manner, she has been warned by Alorinis to stay her temper regarding him, as the latter does not believe Highcrest would have any problem harming the woman and putting her 'in her place'. Aelerius Runeblaze - At one time Valecia's second in command when she led the former Enforcer Unit, Aelerius Runeblaze has since passed on, having been killed while ensuring the escape of his fellow soldiers in Arathi. His death affected Valecia in a way she hadn't expected. She had though she would be happy when he died, a death knight finally at peace, but she found herself sad and mourning instead. On her insistance, a small, short funeral service was arranged to send him off with the proper honors and rights. Tylorill Dawnweaver Tylorill Dawnweaver. Valecia had never heard the name before and when she did, she wasn't particularly impressed. After all, why swoon over a mere name? Their first meeting was during her trials for promotion to Dawnseeker among the Dominion. Her task was fairly simple in understanding, though difficult in execution; she was to destroy any amount of Fel Reavers as commanded by Marshal Dawncreed, without the protection of her armor. At some point during the trial, Tylorill showed up, quietly taking his place among those who were assessing the young soldier. Once the trial was over and the award of a promotion had been given, the small crowd thinned out and most everyone went home; all except for a certain dark haired rogue. While Valecia was reapplying her armor, he approached and offered her a ride back to Thrallmar, which she accepted. She didn't miss the predatory grin his wiry lips made or the mischievous glint in the older man's eyes; she knew what he wanted, and what he thought he could get. The ride back to the Horde base was rather uneventful, idle chatter taking up most of their drive. Occasionally, Valecia would ask Tylorill to stop when she caught sight of some Fel Ore to dig up, and he would do so without question, patiently waiting as she worked the ore to the surface and pocketed it with what she'd already collected. When they arrived at their destination, Valecia set to smelting the ores, melting them down slowly and carefully and then working them into the molds to create bars. All the while, Tylorill watched. She couldn't tell if he was fascinated by the process, or if he was simply staying there with her for the express hope of some 'action' with her later on. Whatever the case, Valecia found him rather disarming. He was charming, dangerously so; it had been years since someone had caused her heart to skip a beat or two or made her face flush with a mere look or a smile. In the coming days, Valecia found herself seeking Tylorill out, and to her pleasent surprise, she discovered he was easy to find. The young woman found that she enjoyed that, much more than she felt she should. They would spend hours together, sometimes talking about their lives, where they had been, what they had done; there were times when they would say little to nothing at all, and just lay next to one another, enjoying each others presence. He would accompany her on small excavations for minor ores like copper and silver, entertaining her with tales of his own youth and the trials and jobs his profession had brought to him. She would often sit with him while he repaired his leathers, reading a book or just watching him quietly. The first time he kissed her was on the coast of Sunstrider Isle. It was chaste and short, a kiss that sought permission for more. If there was one thing that she'd learned over the days of getting to know him, it was that Tylorill Dawnweaver didn't ask for leave to do anything; he did as he liked, when he liked. The care and tenderness he was showing her now, the respect that he held for her touched Valecia to her core. It was in that moment she realized she was falling for the Farstrider. Still, she was careful with her heart. Rumors about Tylorill and his promiscuity had been making the rounds within the Dominion. There was also the matter of his profession; her brother simply would not allow her to be courted by a Farstrider. Lucky for her however, Banalis was deployed and wouldn't be expected home for months. Eventually, the rumors of Tylorill's indiscretions and many affairs quieted down, once it became obvious that he had no intentions of leaving Valecia anytime soon. The very fact that Tylorill had managed to stay with one and only one woman for such a long space of time spoke volumes to everyone, especially Alorinis Bloodarrow, who had nurtured and cultivated the pair from the beginning. It was on Azurebreeze Coast that Tylorill asked Valecia to marry him. Though they'd spoken of marriage before, it had always been her opinion that he shied away from the subject, that he didn't want to marry again. The question came as a shock, and as a bittersweet moment for Valecia. She was helplessly in love with Tylorill, and she knew it. She wanted nothing more than to marry him. But she also knew that she would need her brothers permission to do so, and that was something she was certain she wouldn't get. Never the less, she gave her answer; yes. They married in the place where Tylorill had first kissed her, where they'd spent the most amount of time first getting to know each other; Sunstrider Isle. At Valecia's request, the wedding was a small affair. Only those who needed to or were specifically asked to attend did so. It was a quick and quiet event, exactly what Valecia wanted. The Honeymoon didn't last forever. Eventually, Valecia had to face the one person that was closer to coming home day by day and that hadn't been at her wedding; her brother. The news of her marriage went over about as well as she expected. Banalis was furious. His only sister had married a Farstrider, someone who had a Barony but refused to exercise the wealth and power it gave him, and the man hadn't even had the decency to wait to ask his permission before marrying her. When Valecia explained that it was at her request that they married that day, Banalis would hear none of it, her defense of Tylorill only serving to anger him more. "If he was truly respectful of you, he would have told you no, that he had to wait to ask me for your hand," he told her. From that moment on, the relationship between Banalis and Valecia changed forever. It was inevitable that he would finally seal the deal and disown her from the family and from his life. Though marriage to Tylorill has had its challenges and has left Valecia in tears at points and wanting to strangle him at others, she has never been happier. Considering what she knew her married life could have been and what it actually is, she considers herself lucky indeed that she has Tylor for a husband, someone that she chose for herself, with her heart, and not one that was appointed to her. Having a Farstrider as her spouse has caused some adjustments to be made in Valecia's beliefs; after all, being married to a Ranger who still believes in the old ways of doing just about everything is a rather high challenge for a woman and blood knight of Valecia's thinking to overcome. However, slowly but surely, she is finding the fun in doing things Tylorill's way. She has relaxed a great deal, has become more secure with herself, and has started the process of finding her niche within the military as a possible leader. As such, it can't be disputed that Valecia is a much happier person now than she was before she met Tylorill. The love she has for him is unequaled by anyone, and woe to the person who attempts to take him from her. Category:The Dawnfury Concordant Category:Blood Elf Category:Characters